To reduce the impact of bullying on children, you as a parent have to play a huge role. Here are some ways you can consider that can help you and your children to battle against bullying.

As a parent, you should know what is bullying.

Most parents get confused about what exactly is bullying and when is the right time to intervene. According to one website http://bullynomore.in/ “Bullying is the act of purposely hurting someone by using methods such as name-calling, teasing, ignoring them, making threats or physical attacks and other similar behaviors. Bullying mostly takes place in school environments where some students try to prove themselves as better by making their fellow students feel small. Differences in appearances, behavior, and culture are usually the reasons some students bully others.”

Why as a parent you should tackle bullying and help your child?

Bullying refuses children the right to a safe, secure and dignified environment, as guaranteed by the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. For many children, bullying in school as resulted in making them fearful of the schooling environment. They refuse to go to schools and find it abusive to be in such an environment.

Nowadays due to the modern lifestyle and amenities children have 24/7 access to the internet. And such modern conditions have made children vulnerable. Posting hurtful, nasty or humiliating rumors or comments about an individual online or Issuing online threats provoking to kill themselves or hurt someone else are some of the internet/cyberbullying faced by children.

What are the effects of bullying on your child?

Bullying makes children suffer from mental, psychological and sometimes even physical stress. This can lead to depression, anxiety, loneliness, disturbed sleep, eating disorders. Children who are suffering from bullying often have trust issues and become excessive introversion. This could also reflect in their adulthood like facing difficultyto form a social relationship or low self-confidence at the workplace.

As a parent, it’s very important that you observe and recognize the signs or any changes in your child’s behavior. It can be because of bullying and he or she needs your help to deal with it.

Are there any signs of bullying?

Well, bullying is not a minor issue and it reflects through major signs that can tell your kid is getting bullied. Keep in mind children won’t tell you directly if they are suffering from bullying so there are some tell-tale signs that you need to observe very carefully.

Injuries and bruises that your child won’t tell you about or would indicate it as “not a big deal” thing.

If your child’s clothing is getting damaged or they are constantly losing their books or stationary.

Making excuses to go to school by faking illness.

Changes in eating habits. Your kid could be hungry when he or she is back home. You need to keep a track or their lunch box and whether they ate it somebody else ate it.

If your child is facing sleeping difficulties and having frequent nightmares.

If your child is losing interest in school-related activities and a decline in grades.

Sudden loss of friends or secluding themselves from social events.

Your child could look at you some time with total helplessness with very low self-esteem.

Absent-minded or harming themselves.

How to deal with bullying and help your child?

Bullying can cause a long term effect on your children’s mind and body. So as a parent you need to make sure that you help your child by doing the following-

Start having conversations with your children ask them about their day and friends and how everything is at school.

Talk to them about bullying, ask them if they know what is bullying and if they face any such things.

Let them what can be consequences of being bullied or bullying someone else. As a parent, you should act like a friend, guardian, and teacher as well.

Ask them if they have seen anyone getting bullied or bullying someone in their class.

If in case your child is suffering from bullying then talk to the school authorities such as principal, school nurse, or a counselor or teacher.

If the issue is getting serious then you should try contacting the bully’s parents. And if that doesn’t help you and your child then consult legal authorities to take some legal action.

Here is the list of IPC sections you should know when approaching and fighting against bullying.

Know what is bullying– Bullying cannot be defined in one single way. As a parent, you should know that bullying is an act of hurting someone physically and mentally.

Signs of bullying– Observe and read some signs that can tell you that your child is suffering from bullying.

Dealing with bullying– As a parent, its very important that you nor support bullying nor dismiss bullying as a harmless thing. Take action when necessary and make your kids assured that you got there back.

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